The selected works for 2008-09 will be staged at Seattle Rep's Bagley Wright and Leo K. Theatres.
"Our goal is to provide the most eclectic, imaginative and provocative programming for this community – plays that reflect the entire spectrum of what defines our amazing city," Esbjornson said in a statement.
As previously reported, Esbjornson exits his post as artistic director of Seattle Rep June 30, 2009. He has been with the company since 2005.
The 2008-2009 Seattle Rep season for the Bagley Wright Theatre includes:
By Ken Ludwig
Directed by Kyle Donnelly
Oct. 2–Nov.15
"The dashing musketeers swashbuckle their way through nefarious villains, international intrigue, and exotic ladies. There is something for everyone in this exhilarating quest that brings new meaning to the phrase, 'All for one and one for all!'"
By George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart
Directed by Warner Shook
Nov. 28–Jan. 3, 2009
"Alice will do whatever it takes to get the approval of her new boyfriend’s rich, conservative parents. But when the prospective in-laws come to dinner, her eccentric family of oddball artists and inventive entrepreneurs isn't so keen on playing normal."
By Samuel Beckett
Starring Bill Irwin
Directed by Garry Hynes
Jan. 15–Feb. 14, 2009
"Considered by many to be the most significant English language play of the 20th century, this absurdist comedy places two Charlie Chaplin-like tramps in the middle of nowhere to await the mysterious Godot."
By Connor McPherson
Feb. 26-March 28, 2009
"In this darkly compelling recent Broadway hit, four old friends gather to face the holidays the only way they know how – 'under the influence.' When a mysterious stranger arrives, the men find themselves playing a game of cards with damningly high stakes. One of them must give the devil his due in this surprisingly funny and uplifting Irish tale of Christmas redemption."
By Chay Yew
April 9–May 9, 2009
"Matriarch Xia leaves America to return home to pre-communist China where she discovers the ancient family estate where she grew up is facing financial ruin. Threatened with the loss of her property and the deterioration of her traditional values in changing times, Xia struggles against impossible odds to buy back her home and keep her family intact. This is a bold new look at Anton Chekhov's celebrated classic [The Cherry Orchard]." Works selected for the Leo K. Theatre include:
By Charlayne Woodard
Directed by Dan Sullivan
Sept. 25–Oct. 26
"Aunt, godmother and friend to countless kids, Woodard beautifully weaves together stories of the ordinary and extraordinary things she’s done to mentor the children in her life."
By Peter Sinn Nachtrieb
Directed by Jerry Manning
Nov. 13–Dec. 14
"A marine biologist calculates that the end of the world is near and posts an online personals ad, hoping to find a girl that will help him ensure the survival of the species. But when push comes to shove, saving life on earth on the first date proves to be a bit of a challenge."
By Christopher Evan Welch, James Palmer and Ron Carnell
Feb. 5–March 8, 2009
"The Ottoman Bigwigs, one of the most 'proudly peripheral' bands of the '90s Seattle music scene, reunite for a funny, raucous mash-up of theatre and rock. Rollick pairs story-driven rock music—inspired by country, sea shanties and waltzes—with tales of the literal and figurative ghosts of Seattle past. Actor, musician, writer and former Seattleite Christopher Welch (an Obie winner and Broadway veteran) returns to the Rep with his band for this totally unique theatre/music experience."
By Harold Pinter
Directed by Braden Abraham
March 26–April 26, 2009
"A woman's illicit relationship with her husband's best friend is played out in reverse, from the end of the affair to their first encounter. As the play unfolds backwards in time, Pinter's innovative structure and spare language paint an unflinching and riveting portrait of deception." Seattle Repertory Theatre is located at 155 Mercer Street in Seattle, WA. Season subscriptions and further information are available by calling (206) 443-2222, toll free at (877) 900-9285 or online at seattlerep.org.
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Founded in 1963, Seattle Repertory Theatre was awarded the 1990 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. With an emphasis on entertaining plays of true dramatic and literary worth, Seattle Rep produces a subscription season of plays along with educational programs, new play workshops and special presentations.
